The Summer walks take place on Tuesdays, with occasional Saturdays or Sundays. The walk will move off at 7pm except for mothing nights and weekend walks, times for these are given in the description. Please arrive 15 minutes before the walks are due to start, so we can run through the risk assessment, and site description as appropriate.

Grid references are given in the description. You can locate a Grid reference on a map or by searching Grid reference finder in your browser or Play store or Apple I-store app. Post codes are given where they are close to the parking. What 3 words details are also given in the description and this app can also be found in Play Store or I-store

For any forthcoming Society activity, each member who is planning to participate should assess his/her own risk and that of their household having regard to his/her own health and circumstances. This requirement is in accordance with the Society’s Constitution that states ‘Members taking part in any meeting or activity do so at their own risk.’

A printable pdf of the Summer programme (January- April) will be made available soon.

April

23      ECLIPSES OF THE WORLD – WITH WILDLIFE – Sheridan William
Final Spring meeting
7.30 for 8.00 in the Cruck Barn, Bradwell Abbey, Alston Drive, Milton Keynes MK13 9AP
In this talk postponed from December 2023, Sheridan Williams will tell us about his travels to see total eclipses around the world, together with some of the outstanding wildlife he has encountered in the processs.

28   SHENLEY WOOD: MKNHS Plant group – Leaders Carla Boswell and Jenny Mercer
Meet at 1015 for 10.30 start; the meeting will finish at 12.30
The first of the Plant Group’s activities in 2024 will centre on field work at different habitats where we will practise our identification skills at the species level initially concentrating on flowering plants (and, where we can, grasses, rushes, sedges and trees) and listing species observed in a systematic way. Improving identification skills will rely heavily on the sharing of knowledge between participants.
Please register your interest by sending an email to joeclinch@btinternet.com
Meet at the Merlewood Drive car park, Shenley Wood.  MK5 6GG (off Tattenhoe Street). grid ref: SP823356, what3words: timed.luck.parked

30    PILCH FIELD: Leader – Jenny Mercer
Meet at 18.45 for 19.00 start
Pilch Field is one of the very few SSSIs in north Bucks, designated for their very rich flora and variety of habitats – some old ridge and furrow, limestone slopes and species-rich wet areas along spring lines. Early spring delights the eye with Cowslips on the ridges and Green-winged orchids on the banks. For the ‘orchidophiles’ there are other species together with many showy flowers as well as several ’greens and browns’ of significance, e.g. Adders-tongue fern.
See also: www.bbowt.org.uk/reserves/pilch-field and https://mknhs.org.uk/pilch-fields

Grid Ref: SP 749 321. Postcode MK17 0NX. What 3 words: socket.gala.inserting
Parking by the roadside, but avoid the very sharp bend!
Or we may be able to arrange parking in Clare Conway Crapps’ Orchard opposite that corner. If this is the case there will be a notice or a person to wave you in.

May

7        Not Yet Arranged

14      HAZELEY WOOD and NORTH BUCKS WAY – Mike LeRoy and Martin Ferns
Meet at 18.45 for 19.00 start
Woodland planted in1991/92 with Oak, Birch and Hornbeam on former arable land to form Hazeley Wood. Several surveys of the woodland and its wildlife were carried out by Milton Keynes Natural History Society. We will walk there along North Bucks Way which is an ancient green lane flanked by overgrown hedges that we will take a look at.
Meet in car park at Oakhill, at west end of Portway (H5) where it joins Otterburn Crescent.
SP815361 – MK5 6LY – totals.kilowatt.hugs.

SAT 18  RAMMAMERE HEATH, BRAGENHAM WOOD AND KING’S WOOD – Charles Kessler and Mike LeRoy
10.15 for 10.30 – 12.30     
Distinctive habitats and flora of heathland with acid grassland; and trees and flora of remnant Ancient Woodland on Greensand and Clay. Parts of a National Nature Reserve.
Share cars. Meet at Stockgrove car-park off Brickhill Lane (£4 up to 3 hours)
SP920293 – LU7 0BA – faces.locker.layers
Postcode LU7 0BA is for nearest houses; continue up road for 500+ meters
Park entrance on left

21      WATERHALL PARK – Carla Boswell
Meet at 1845 for 19.00 start
A gentle walk through meadows with trees and patches of wild flowers in Bletchley: the river at your side as you walk out, the canal on your way back.
Park in Dobbies Garden Centre, Watling Street,  Bletchley MK17 9JH – SP887339 – feed.escape.oval

28      OUSE VALLEY – Gary Fowler
Meet at 1845 for 19.00 start
A walk along the river Great Ouse as it goes under the railway viaduct and skirts the northern edge of the Flood Plain Forest, a chance to feed some fish and watch birds. Although the paths are hard gravel it may be wise to bring wellies if it has been wet.
Park in the ‘viaduct’ car park off Wolverton road/Haversham road.
SP817421 – qualify.regularly.nowadays

Future dates to follow

For any forthcoming Society activity, each member who is planning to participate should assess his/her own risk and that of their household having regard to his/her own health and circumstances. This requirement is in accordance with the Society’s Constitution that states ‘Members taking part in any meeting or activity do so at their own risk.’